Teenager's hand blown off as French student protests escalate
Prosecutors refer case to police watchdog after teenager is gravely injured during confrontations between students and officers outside a high school in northern France.
A 15-year-old boy's hand was blown off during a confrontation between police and demonstrators near a school in France, an official has said, as student protests continue across the country. The very serious incident happened in the north-eastern city of Lens on Monday morning, according to the prefect of Pas-de-Calais, François-Xavier Lauch. The student's life is not in danger, he said, adding that the teenager was transferred very quickly to a hospital in nearby Lille.
Around 500 schools were partially or totally closed across the country on Monday amid student protests over the condition of school buildings and staffing which have led to clashes with police in recent days. French media have given mixed accounts of how the boy came to sustain the injury. Regional newspaper La Voix du Nord reported that he lost his hand after picking up a police stun grenade. Officials have not yet provided details.
A regional prosecutor said an investigation would be carried out by the French police watchdog, the General Inspection of the National Police, so all light can be shed on what happened. The IGPN inquiry will examine the circumstances surrounding the teenager's injury, which has intensified scrutiny of policing tactics at demonstrations that have spread across the country in recent weeks.
The incident took place close to the Auguste Béhal high school, the prefect said. Lauch said a larger gathering of students than on previous days had assembled outside the school. At the start of the morning, they threw various projectiles at the local police officers who were on site initially. When I say projectiles, I mean stones, fireworks, and mortars, he told French media. Instructions were given by the interdepartmental director of the National Police, naturally with my approval, to deploy a company of riot police to maintain order, and it was in this context that this event occurred.
The school issued a statement on Monday morning, saying: In light of the events that took place this morning and in order to ensure the safety of the entire school community, the institution is switching to distance learning from now on. In addition, to support everyone during this period, a listening and support unit has also been set up at the establishment.